Black and Lupin
by ThatFilmStudent
Summary: 'Before Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin, there had been another generation of Blacks and Lupins that attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' A short story of how Alphard Black and Lyall Lupin met and became friends. (Friendship fic. Set in what would be their first year, 1940)


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these HP characters or settings.**

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Before Sirius Orion Black and Remus John Lupin, there was another generation of Blacks and Lupins that had attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And they, too, had been good friends.

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 **September, 1940**

The Hogwarts Express jolted into movement suddenly and began leaving Platform 9¾ behind.

Alphard Black sat quietly in the empty train compartment, staring out of the window and biting his lip nervously, internally brimming with excitement and anticipation. He honestly didn't know what to expect of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

When he had gotten his acceptance letter, he had expected it – but he hadn't really **thought** about it. It was just the way things went. He would: get his acceptance letter, school wherever his parents chose for him for seven years, graduate with top grades, marry a Pureblood woman, go into the family business or go to work at the Ministry of Magic, and then produce an heir or two. His whole life had been mapped out before he was even born, and he had never really had to think about it all before.

But now that he was actually there, sitting on the train, on his way to Hogwarts, realisation struck him and he felt an odd, almost queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. Reality hit him hard but also something else; something that made him feel as though he had a **choice** – that the world was at his fingertips and he could do anything he wanted. He supposed, with his sister and his brother, he wouldn't have to get married. He actually **could** do anything, if he really wished to do so.

Alphard sighed, grey-blue eyes glancing around the empty train compartment idly. Truth be told, he had expected to make friends straightaway. But he hadn't. His sister had propelled him onto the train and into the unoccupied booth before he could converse with anyone.

His mother had told him, in no uncertain terms, that contacts mattered more than friends; that it was important that he represent The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black and make valuable contacts for the future of the family business. To some extent, Alphard secretly disagreed. He didn't understand how someone could be a 'contact' but not a friend as well. He didn't dwell on it too much. He reckoned that when he finally got to the school, he would make friends as well as contacts.

Alphard hadn't been sitting by himself for very long. His sister, Walburga Black (fifth year Slytherin and Prefect as of that year), had been sitting with him earlier; but, as she was a newly-appointed Prefect, she couldn't stay with him for the journey. He had been fine with her departure. She had duties and responsibilities, after all, and he understood that.

Before Walburga had left, she had patted him on the head and assured him that he would be fine. Her tone – Alphard had always thought it was very similar to that of their father's (strong, demanding, a little too harsh) except it was higher pitched and more shrill – had left no room for argument and he had accepted her endeavour of affection. (Walburga had never been good at comforting but Alphard appreciated her attempts nonetheless.)

Alphard had followed his family's instructions to the letter. He had been respectful and kind but had not talked to anyone, his mother having told him not to speak unless spoken to and to make sure that whoever he did talk with was the right kind of person to associate with. After being ushered into the compartment that his sister had chosen for him, he had stayed there and kept quiet – as to avoid annoying the other patrons of the train.

Although, he thought sadly, he couldn't really make much noise on his own.

An obnoxious clatter drew Alphard's attention away from his sombre thoughts and he looked over to the door to find a tall boy with piercing blue eyes and uncontrollably messy brown hair. Alphard found himself unable to look away from the other boy and his toothy grin.

"Hello!" the boy greeted chirpily, and Alphard detected a distinct Northern twang in his voice. "Mind if I sit?"

Alphard shook his head mutely, still unable to look away from the strange boy with an infectious grin and wild hair and unkempt robes, and the boy beamed wider at him. Unable to stop himself, the young Black felt his lips upturn as he smiled back at the stranger. Fleetingly, he wondered how this boy could make him respond so positively after only five words. He also wondered why this boy was so happy. He had never seen such a happy person before.

(Alphard absently noted that the other boy was wearing dress robes as opposed to the Muggle attire that he had seen on some of the other students before his sister had ushered him away from them. The clothes were a good sign. It meant that the boy was from a Wizarding family and, therefore, it was okay to talk to him.)

The boy waltzed in, letting the door crash shut behind himself, and carelessly dropped down onto the seat opposite Alphard. They sat in an odd silence – odd because it was unlike the silences that Alphard was used to, in that it was friendly and not as awkward as one would expect it to be – before Alphard sat up straighter, self-consciously tugging at his robes as he felt those piercing blue eyes on him. The other boy regarded Alphard for a long moment before he spoke again:

"Sorry for barging in," he apologised. "But, uh..." He scratched his neck sheepishly. "Well, I sort of got kicked out of my other compartment," he explained, grinning crookedly.

"Why?"

Alphard wasn't sure if he really wanted to know why but before he knew it, he had asked. His curiosity had always been a weakness of his. He had always questioned everything and that persistent sense of wonderment hadn't been diminished within him, much to his father's chagrin and his mother's delight. He had always annoyed his father with his inquisitiveness. His mother, luckily, had more patience.

"Bloody hell!" the boy exclaimed, staring at Alphard with wide eyes.

Alphard hissed as the other boy swore. (He had been taught that swearing was for Muggles, Mudbloods and commoners.)

The boy didn't seem to notice Alphard's reaction as he added, "You're posh, aren't you?"

Alphard didn't answer – he didn't know **how** to answer such an obtuse question – and instead sat up straighter, assuming that he was being judged. He lifted his chin defiantly, like he had been taught to do in the face of scrutiny, and waited for the other boy to answer his question.

"Anyway," the boy continued, seemingly unfazed by the lack of verbal response. "I just sort of, uh, well... Okay, so here's the story." He sat forward, eager to tell his tale. He seemed rather manic with his wild blue eyes, his hair sticking up at all angles and his animated hand movements. "So, there I was, minding my own business, when this girl – a Gryffindor, I think; she was wearing a lot of red – Anyway, she comes in and tells me to leave. I said no, naturally – I was there first, after all – and she withdrew her wand. I couldn't just let her hex me, could I? So, I withdrew my wand."

He took his wand out of his pocket and showed Alphard.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" the boy admired distractedly before he returned his intense blue eyes to those of Alphard. "Anyway, I fired off an _Ablattero_ at her. She babbled incessantly for ages – I couldn't stop laughing. You should have been there! Anyways, her friend got me when I least expected it with an electrifying hex. Never heard it before. Must be upper year stuff. Anyway, she hexed me and then threw me out and that's the story."

Alphard stared back in awe – not of the story, but of the boy. He had never known someone who could talk so much and make such a **normal** story actually sound **interesting**. He finally blinked and his grey-blue eyes flicked up to the boy's wild hair before returning to the smiling and slightly smug face. He wondered if perhaps that electrifying curse was the cause of the other boy's disastrous hair-mess.

"I don't doubt my hair's on end," the boy said, raising a hand and trying to smooth down the mess. "Sorry. I don't usually look like this." He looked down at his robes and frowned, finally giving up on his hair and dropping his hands to his lap. "Well, I suppose I do, really. Not the hair, though," he assured, catching Alphard's gaze again. "It was neat. Before."

Alphard nodded, not really knowing what else to do or say, and they sat in silence for a few more moments before the other boy broke it again.

"So," he said. "First year, too?"

Alphard nodded. "Yes," he answered politely. "I presume you are, also?"

The boy nodded and grinned, seemingly happy to have gained a verbal reaction. "Yeah," he replied. "I didn't mean to insult you before."

Alphard frowned in confusion.

"When I said you were posh," the boy clarified. "I didn't mean any offence."

"Oh. You didn't offend me," Alphard replied and, unsure what else to say, he added, "You have quite a common accent. Northern?"

"Yeah," the boy answered. "Sunderland. Ever heard of it? Massive place for mining and shipyards."

Alphard didn't have a clue what the other boy was talking about but he nodded anyway. He had come to the decision, about halfway through the other boy's story, that he wouldn't mind being friends with this strange wizard. He seemed confident and friendly and, since he was clearly of a Wizarding family, he would probably be a good contact as well.

"It's up in the North East," the boy added.

Alphard nodded again.

"Where are my manners?" the boy asked rhetorically before he stuck his hand out and introduced himself as, "Lupin. Lyall Lupin."

Alphard took the hand and shook it twice before he let go and replied, "Alphard Black."

The boy, Lyall, stared at him for a moment before he sat back against his seat. "Black, eh?"

Alphard lifted his chin defiantly. "You recognise the name?" he asked, although he already knew the answer. He was part of The Noble and Most Ancient House of Black, one of the wealthiest and most renowned families in the whole of the United Kingdom (and quite probably in the entire Wizarding world). Of course this boy knew his name.

"Course I do," Lyall replied. "Everyone knows of the Black family. The Star family, right? They're the ones that are hell-bent on naming their kids after Astronomy, yeah?"

Alphard couldn't stop the laugh that escaped from him at the rather inelegant and dim explanation of his family. It amused him. He hadn't quite heard his family being referred to in that way before – as the Star family. Although, when he thought about it, he supposed that Lyall had defined the Blacks quite well.

"Yes," he replied, smiling faintly. "The Star family."

Lyall grinned. "Well. It's nice to meet you."

"Pleasure is all mine, Lupin."

"Ah, please. Call me Lyall. Lupin's a bit formal, isn't it?"

Alphard smiled and shrugged lightly. "I suppose. I guess you can call me Alphard, then."

Lyall smirked roguishly and replied, "I was already planning on it."

Alphard laughed again, mesmerised by the boy's carefree nature. He seemed so calm and laidback, and Alphard no longer felt so nervous about going to Hogwarts. In fact, he had almost forgotten that he was on a train heading to Scotland. He was glad that he would at least know someone when he got there. Lyall Lupin – his first ever friend. Alphard frowned; he recognised that name, didn't he?

"Lupin... I know that name."

"Really? Well, I imagine you might. We're the Wolf family."

Alphard quirked a curious eyebrow. "The Wolf family?" he repeated.

"Yeah. Your family owns the stars, mine own the wolves. Well, apart from my dad's side of the family. My dad's name is John," he snorted and laughed, making Alphard chuckle as well. "But my mam's side – they're all wolfy."

"I don't think it's that..." Alphard replied carefully.

Lyall frowned and hummed thoughtfully before he said, "Well, we're old blood. But not old money... Maybe it's my dad you know? He's the Head of the Department of Mysteries for the Ministry of Magic. He's pretty important. Or so I've heard."

Alphard nodded slowly. He didn't know how he knew the surname. Perhaps he had heard his father mention the Lupin name before. They were old blood, which meant that they weren't enemies. But they didn't have much money, which meant that they weren't allies either. But did that lack of money mean that they couldn't be friends? Alphard sincerely hoped not. He quite liked the strange boy with piercing blue eyes and a relaxed attitude.

"So, what House do you want to be in?" Lyall asked suddenly, shoving his hand into his pocket and producing a large bar of Cariscue's chocolate. He offered some to Alphard who declined politely with a shake of his head.

"I am a Black," Alphard replied. "I do not have a choice. I will be in Slytherin."

Lyall nodded. "Right. But, I mean, if you did have a choice, what House would you want to be in?"

Alphard considered the question for a moment. He had never really thought about it before. He had always known that he would end up in the Slytherin House. All of his family had before him. He could only imagine the amount of ill-treatment that he would suffer, should he be sorted into any other House. But... what if the Sorting Hat asked him? What if it asked him which House would he prefer? Would he still choose to be in Slytherin?

"Slytherin," he answered firmly.

If faced with a decision, Alphard would definitely choose to be in Slytherin. Even if he didn't want to be there – which he **did** – he couldn't imagine being sorted into anywhere else. He could only imagine the amount of maltreatment he would receive from his family if he were placed into another House. The punishments they would dole out were enough to make him shudder. He didn't want to make his life any harder. He was already odd enough...

"Really?"

"Yes," Alphard replied. "I've never thought about it before, but I would choose to be in Slytherin."

Lyall hummed thoughtfully before he mused aloud, "I reckon you'd make a good Ravenclaw myself."

Alphard quirked an amused brow. "Really?"

Lyall nodded solemnly.

"And what are you basing that on, if I may ask?"

"Dunno," Lyall replied, shrugging casually. "You just look like a thinker."

Alphard nodded faintly. He supposed he was a thinker. He was an inquisitive person by nature. He supposed if he were to be sorted into another House, then Ravenclaw would be acceptable. He thought that, if it did happen (which it absolutely wouldn't) and he was sorted into Ravenclaw instead of Slytherin, his family would be able to forgive him for it.

"I reckon it would be good – if we were in the same House, I mean," Lyall stated.

"Yes, I suppose it would be... interesting," Alphard replied. "So, you want to be in Ravenclaw House?" he asked. He didn't know why it shocked him. It wasn't as if he had pondered the boy's possible House beforehand, but he hadn't expected Ravenclaw for some reason.

Lyall shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. I mean, most of my family have been in there. Well, apart from my mam's side of the family. They're a mixture of Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs. I reckon I'd like to be in Ravenclaw, though. But I suppose I don't mind. All of the Houses have their good and bad qualities."

Alphard nodded in agreement.

He understood, unlike most of his family, that all of the Houses held their own good (and bad) qualities. If he were to be honest with himself, he hoped that he made a friend in each House before he left Hogwarts. It would be, he supposed, advantageous to not stick with the same people for the entirety of his seven years there. It would be a good idea to gain contacts (friends) from each House, he reasoned.

"Hey, have you read _Hogwarts: The Founders Era_? Magnificent book, that is. Full of information about the Founders and Hogwarts before it was, you know, **Hogwarts**... You know, I visited Hogwarts once," Lyall said before he launched into a longwinded story about how his father had been the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher at one point and had let him sit in for one of his classes when his mother had been at work.

Alphard had half-listened, half-admired. He had never met someone so... intriguing, before. Lyall Lupin was definitely an intriguing person, as far as Alphard was concerned. A chaotic, carefree, clever, confident boy with an amazing smile and intense eyes. He was fascinating, and Alphard could see the beginnings of an interesting friendship.

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 **A/N: This story came to mind because I was doing some research for another story and realised that Alphard Black and Lyall Lupin might have gone to school together and they might have been in the same year. So I thought I'd get this written down.**

 **(Between me and you, I had a few more stories in my head for these two – and yes, in one of them, AB is gay and in (unrequited) love with LL. I might do another story for them in the future.)**

 **Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it!**

 **Written: December, 2016  
Rewritten: December, 2018**


End file.
